Control device for the automatic recording of telephone conversations



Sept. 19, 1950 R. E. SHVETZ 2,522,725

CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECORDING OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS Filed Dec. 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M '0' I .4 30 I AX r o 0 WA "-32 h g H 37 53 *3 i: J I I |L--.a| J

INVE NTOR Ron/M E. JHVE rz ATTORNEY Sept. 1-9, 1950 v R. E. SHVETZ 2,522,726

- cormaor. DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECORDING 0F TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS Filed Dec. 16, 1948 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 so 51 w:

lNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1950 CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECORDING OF TELEPHONE CONVERSA- TIONS Roman E. Shvetz, New York, N. Y.

Application December 16, 1948, Serial No. 65,664

6 Claims.

This invention relates to control devices for the automatic recording of telephone conversations.

A prime consideration in such devices is that the telephone instrument and its use be modified and encumbered as little as possible when the called party is present, and that the installation of the recorder connections and the initiation and termination of the recording operation be as easy and simple as possible. A number of types of control devices have been proposed for use, but these have been subject to various limitations which have interferred with time general adoption. In many, it is necessary to provide an electric connection with the bell circuit in the instrument stand, requiring extra wiring which sometimes interferes with the free movement of the stand. Others require mechanical connection of parts of the recorder or the control mechanism with the instrument stand in such a manner that its use is undesirably interferred with when the called party is present. Others are unduly complex in construction, and others are ineffective, inaccurate, or complex in operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, certain, and efiective control means which can be installed and operated with extreme ease and which will leave the telephone instrument free for use in a completely normal manner whenever the called party is present.

Another object is the provision of control mechanism means which is readily adaptable to use in a variety of ways and under a variety of conditions to meet a variety of requirements.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the'invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view of a telephone and recorder combination embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a form of vibration switch used therein;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagramof a timer used therein;

ill

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of certain of the arrangements shown therein; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another modi fied form.

Pursuant to the invention a control means is mechanically actuated by the ringing of a telephone bell.

In certain of its aspects, and as exemplified in Figs. 1-3, the invention makes use of the mechanical vibration due to the ringing of the telephone bell to initiate the operation of the control means, thus making use of the fact that most other vibrations of suflicient intensity to operate a vibration switch are ordinarily caused only by some person who is near enough to answer the telephone, in which case the recorder and control mechanism would be disconnected from the telephone.

In other of its aspects, and as claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 156,002, filed April 14, 1950, the invention contemplates the useof the mechanical movement of the ringing bell itself, as in certain instances where the telephone instrument is normally not moved fro-m place to place and where, on the other hand, there is desired a positive operation free from likelihood of actuation by the vibrations of passing vehicles or other mechanical or accidental arrmg.

In either case, the invention may make use of the fact that in any given locale and under any given conditions messages tend to run to a similar length of time to which an adjustable timer, as exemplified, can be adjusted; and of the further fact that a calling party Who has a long message can call back as many times as he needs to to complete the message. I

Alternatively, if desired, a connection may, in certain instances, be made to the talking circuit. In any instance where this is impractical or undesirable, however, the invention is fully operative and efiective without it.

In the form of construction exemplified in Figs. 1-3 there is provided a telephone instrument 1 0 which, in the present instance, is oi the hand-set type. The base I2 thereof contains a bell l3 and the usual electric connections, and carries the usual depressible switch member M which is normally held down by the removable unit I5 carrying the receiver I6 and the transmitter IT. The telephone operates entirely normally when the called party is present. When he leaves, however, he can remove the unit 15, and, while holding the switch member M de pressed, bring the switch member l4 under the arm l8 of a control device. To effectuate this either the instrument in, the control device, or the arm 18 may be moved. The unit may be seated on a recorder 29 as shown at [9, for example, with the receiver 16 in proximity to the reception means (or mouthpiece) 2| of the recorder. The arm i8 is mounted on an upright which is mounted in bushings 26 for vertical movement. Carried on the upright 25 by means of clamp rings 28 is one end of a control lever 30 which is pivoted at 3! on a post 32, and the other end of which is pivoted to the head 34 of the armature 35 of a relay 36 energized by a circuit portion 31.

Also secured to upright 25 is an arm 38 carrying vibration point 39 resting on the right-hand end (Fig. 1) of vibration lever 40. Lever 40 extends loosely thru an opening 4| in post 32 which provides a pivot therefor, and its left-hand end rests on a plunger 42 (Fig. 2) of a vibration switch unit 43 and lies between plungers 44 and 45. Each of the plungers carries a circuit closer 46 which is movable into circuit-closing position against the pressure of a spring 41, to close a circuit thru one of three parallel circuit portions 48 each adapted to close a circuit portion 49 leading to a time switch 59 of adjustable duration.

A manual disconnect switch 52 is provided in the circuit 5|, in the present instance. this is closed, the time switch controls transmission of current from a power circuit 5| to operating circuit portion 31 under control of the circuit portion 49.

Pursuant to the invention in its broader aspects any well known or suitable form of time switch may be employed. In the particular form of time switch exemplified, lead 53 connects one line of circuit 49 with one line of circuit 5!.

From the other line of circuit 49 a lead 54 ex- When 4 thru 60-5851--'l5l6--1182-82'-1 l-'|3- 85--868l8853, and a parallel circuit running from 11 thru 19, 80, 8i, and 82 to H drives the clock motor. The energization of switch 19 operates relay 36 thru circuit 603l68-69- l3-85B68l-8853. This remains energized until the clock 83, as set, disconnects the startstop switch 61, breaking the contact 16, with resulting deenergization of all the circuits until the vibration switch next operates.

As above indicated, there are instances where telephones are located in places particularly subject to vibration, and other instances where the bell is located in a wall box or other position where the provision of an extra wiring cord run ning from the telephone instrument causes no difliculty. In any such instance there may be used an arrangement such as shown in Fig. 4 wherein, instead of the circuit 49, there leads from the time-switch 59 a circuit 49a comprising a lead 90 running to the hell 9! of a telephone instrument such as the instrument III, and a lead 92 running to the clapper 93 of the bell. As soon as the clapper head is drawn against the bell to ring it, as by magnet 94, the contact of the metal clapper with the metal bell closes the circuit. The resulting operation is the same as that caused when the circuit 49 is closed by the operation of the vibration switch 43.

It is to be noted that, while both the circuit 49 and the circuit 49a operate electrically, they are closed by mechanical movement, and accordingly the control means of which they are parts are mechanically rather than electrically actuated. This distinction is fundamental, for, in either case, it is unnecessary to splice a lead into the tends to contact 55, and thence lead 56 runs to magnetic switch 5'! to energize it thru a circuit including lead 58 which runs to point 59 and lead 60 which runs to the other line of the circuit 5!. The magnetic switch 5! operates lever 65 which engages clutch 66 and operates the start-stop switch Gl'.

One line of circuit portion 31 runs to point 59 and the other line connects with lead 68 which runs to contact 69 of magnetic switch 19. From a contact H of switch 19, a lead 12 leads to point 55. T-conductor l3 connects contacts 69 and H when the switch 10 is operative. Also running from magnetic switch 51 is a lead 15 running thru a contact '15 which is closed by the startstop switch and from which a lead TI runs to point '18 whence lead 19 runs to motor 89 from which lead 3i runs to point 8! to which coil 82 of switch 16 is connected. The other end of the coil is connected to point 18. A lead 82' runs from 82 to contact H. Motor 80 drives a clock mechanism 93, under control of clutch 66. From contact 85 on T 73, lead 86 runs to point 81, whence lead 88 runs to lead 53. A spring-return,

4 momentary action push button as shown at 89 may be provided to interconnect the points and 8'! to short-circuit the remote control circuit 49, as for checking purposes, if desired.

Thus, when the vibration switch closes the circuit 49, a circuit is closed thru leads 53, 54, 56, 58, and and energizing the magnetic switch 51 to operate clutch 66, and start-stop switch 61, and closing a circuit thru 60, 58, l5, 11, '82, B2, 12, 54, 49, 53. As soon as current flows thru coil 82, the T 13 is moved,and a circuit is closed,

telephone bell circuit or to otherwise make any electrical connection to or impose any extra load on the telephone circuits for the control means. If the beep or other recorder noise is permitted to enter the telephone transmitter as at 95, no connection into the telephone circuits at all is necessary. If, however, there is a standard electrical beep connection, it will still be advantageous to avoid any non-standard connection.

While the invention is capable of use without any physical connection the telephone instruments or circuits in the case of the exemplification of Figs. 1--3, and while it is capable of use without any electrical connection with the telephone circuits as in the case of the exemplification of Fig. 4, there are, as above indicated, instances in which the advantages of operating the control device when the calling party breaks a telephone circuit outweigh other considera tions. In such instances there may be employed an arrangement such as exemplified in Fig. 5 wherein the telephone circuit operates a microswitch 96 in one of the power inlet leads, as, for example, lead 69a, so that, when the calling party hangs up before the pointer on the clock actuates the start-stop 61, the break in the circuit by the micro-switch 96 will cause the deenergization of relay 36 and of the power circuit for the recording machine.

In the various exemplified forms there is provided actuating means for the recorder 20. In the present instance, this comprises a contact 91 which is carried on arm 38 and which closes a circuit 98 for operating a switch 99 to energize motor I 06 of recorder 29.

Thus there is provided a simple and highly effective means for recording a telephone message. The calling party, being apprized by the termination of the ringing signal without reply by thev called party that there'is no one present, and by the recording noise that theregis a recorder to take above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made-without departing from" the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedesoription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A control device for use in connection with the recording of telephonelmessages, comprising a movable telephone-tal lring-circuit control piece which is normally in one position, means whereby a talking switch is closed when said control piece is moved to another position, means including an electro-magnet for moving said control pieceto said other position, means including an electric operating circuit for energizing said magnetiqa mechanical circuit-closer for said magnet, means for actuating said circuit-closer, means including a telephone signal bell for vibrating said control piece, means whereby the mechanical vibration of the control piece causes said control piece to be moved to said other position by the vibration of said control piece upon the closing of a telephone bell circuit.

2. A control device as set forth in claim .1 wherein said energizing means includes a time switch, and wherein there are provided means including an electric circuit for energizing said time switch. v

'3. A control device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the time switch is adjustable.

4. A control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control piece comprises a movable arm adapted to control the position of a receiversupporting telephone switch-member and movable from a normal position in which said telephone switch-member is held down in its normally open position to another position in which said telephone switch-member is permitted to rise to closed position, and wherein said electromagnet is adapted to move said arm from normal position to permit said telephone switch-member to rise.

5. A control device as set forth in claim 4 wherein there is provided timed means to terminate the recording operation and to de-energize said magnet.

6. A control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided means actuated by the breaking of a telephone talking circuit in advance of the operation of said time switch to terminate the operating of said recorder-operating means and to bring about the return of said arm.

ROMAN E. SHVETZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 907,960 Boelen Dec. 29, 1908 1,778,980 McKeldin Oct. 21, 1930 1,973,081 Keiser Sept. 11, 1934 2,079,089 Varley May 4, 1937 2,261,420 -Shively et al Nov. 4, 1941 

